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Ragna Aasen
|birth=2539 |death= |civid= |rank= |gender=Female |height= |weapons= |equipment= |vehicles= |hair=Blonde |eyes=Blue |augment= |cyber= |medical= |era= |types= |notable= |affiliation=* **Bloodhounds }} An orphan girl in a galaxy not kind to girls or orphans, Ragna Aasen learned quickly that fighting and survival are one and the same. Born Valerie Harding, she was thrust into foster care at a young age after her mother's disappearance and her father's acceptance into a military black operations program. Caught up in the chaos of the she fled her foster home and struck out on her own, scraping by as an urchin in refugee camps across the frontier. Valerie was eventually discovered by the commander Redmond Venter, who took her into his fold as a potential operative. Renamed "Ragna Aasen," the former runaway was molded into a rebel agent under Venter's tutelage and soon became one of his personal agents. Biography The Runaway "No One's Ever Around" Adeline and Reginald Harding did not marry intending to have children. With Adeline immersed in extensive and Reginald working as a police officer for 's police department the couple rarely had time for each other, let alone any broader social life. But Reginald's police work exposed him to the happiness children brought many of his colleagues and he became enamored with the idea of raising one of his own. Although Adeline was initially opposed to her husband's overtures she eventually came to believe that having a child would breathe life into her often distant relationship with Reginald. At Adeline's insistence, she and Reginald conceived a child without the help of any artificial conception or genetic tinkering—popular methods easily accessible to families of the Harding's means. Adeline's desire for a natural conception stemmed from her research into AI creation, which also favored less outside interference when producing a digital progeny. Though Valerie Harding's curiously unenhanced birth did not seem to unduly advantage her, it also did not endanger her health as some doctors had warned. The baby girl was perfectly healthy and for a time the Hardings played the part of happy new parents, taking time away from their work to share the responsibilities of raising a child. But the pressures of their professions soon pressed in once again and the Hardings were forced to return to working full time, hiring private nannies and tutors to look after Valerie. Although the Hardings could afford the latest in educational toys and showered their daughter with as much affection as time allowed, Valerie grew up a lonely girl with few children her own age to play with. Her guilt-stricken parents were relieved when she was old enough to enter primary school and escape the confines of their apartment. But Valerie did not suddenly blossom into a social butterfly as her parents hoped. She mostly kept to herself, preferring to read or play by herself rather than mingling with the other children. Valerie's initial academics and aptitude assessments were superb, but her parents continued to worry about their reclusive daughter. Adeline worked to connect with her daughter by giving the young girl books on knights and other chivalric tales from Earth's history. With dire reports regarding the flooding in from all fronts, tales of heroes slaying monsters resonated with Valerie and gave her a new escape from the tedium of schoolwork. Holding himself responsible for his daughter's lonely nature, Reginald sought to spend more time with Valerie. Frustrated by her withdrawn attitude, he decided to force her to spend time with him by taking her camping as a "surprise gift" for her seventh birthday. Valerie initially hated being drawn away from her books and the comforts of indoor living. But under Reginald's patient guidance she soon grew to enjoy the camping experience and the peaceful tranquility of Reach's wilderness. Near the end of the trip Reginald carefully taught his daughter the fundamentals of target shooting. Armed with a child's practice rifle, Valerie found that she enjoyed shooting immensely and proved to be an adequate shot with the weapon despite her young age.